Fwd: On Cheerfulness of Mind

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"Cheerfulness of mind, gentleness, calmness and contemplation, self-control, purity of thought - are called, the penance of mind." (Gita 17:16) Manah prasaadah saumyatvam maunamaatmavinigrah ahBhaavasamsuddhirity etattapo maanasamucyate. " (Gita 17:16) Let us focus just on the first word - "Cheerfulness of Mind." It is called "Manahprasaadah. Cheerfulness due to contact of persons, things, country, time, situations, circumstances, incidents etc., is not permanent. It cannot stay with you at all times; because that which comes and goes, is not the kind that remains the same at all times. On leaving association of evils doers and actions, the ever

present and innate joy (inner cheerfulness, prasannataah) will manifest naturally. This type of innate joy and cheerfulness remains at all times. It seeps into the mind and intellect, and thereafter there is never any loss of serenity and peace i.e. one remains joyful (cheerful) at all times. When does a man experience lack of peace, disturbances of the mind? When he begins to depend on wealth, possessions, wife - son and other perishable objects. Those things and persons that he is depending on, are all the kind that are coming and going. It will not remain stable with you. That is, in their coming together and departing, the mind becomes restless. If the sadhak (spiritual aspirant) leaves dependencies of those things that are temporary and perishable, and depends only on Prabhu (God), who is Eternal and Imperishable, then the meeting and departing of persons and things, will not result in

restlessness or loss of peace. The method to remain cheerful (joyful) is - 1) One should remain free from attachment and aversion to persons, objects, incidents and circumstances etc.2) Out of egoism and selfishness, one must not be partial with any one. 3) One should fill the mind completely and entirely with divine traits, such as compassion, forgiveness and generosity etc. 4) One should have feelings of welfare of all beings5) One whose diet is balanced and regular, whose nature favors living in solitude, who on being asked, shares at times insights that are spiritually beneficial, in other words, speaks very little, he who is moderate in sleep and recreation. In this manner, that which is in accordance to the ordinance of the scriptures, such a spiritual aspirant, gains cheerfulness (Joyfulness) of mind, very quickly.